(from Edinburgh's Hogmanay) The Scots know how to throw a party! Hogmanay, Scotland's New Year celebration, begins on December 31 and lasts for days. To start things off, the house gets a thorough cleaning, and past debts are settled. The celebration continues with ceilidh dances, torchlight processions, bonfires, and fireball swinging. What's with the fire? It's possibly a holdover from pagan rites celebrating the sun's return after a long, dark winter. Another custom is first footing. If the first visitor after midnight is a tall, dark male -- preferably bearing gifts of whisky and coal for the fire -- expect good luck for the coming year. This practice may be a throwback to the days of Viking invasions, when a fair-haired stranger at the door could mean big trouble. These days, all guests are welcome, and when the clock strikes 12, partiers the world over (Scottish or not) will raise their voices in a rousing version of Auld Lang Syne, penned by Scotland's own Robert Burns. Suggested Sites... First Foot: Hogmanay in Scotland - an irreverent look at Hogmanay traditions. BBC: Celebrate Hogmanay - some comedy, some history, and a party guide. Edinburgh's Hogmanay - official site for the world's biggest Hogmanay celebration.

Directory categories: Hogmanay, New Year Celebrations Worldwide, Scotland Travel Guides

Archived under: Festivals, History, Holidays, Scotland, Winter

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

So sayeth the Magic 8 Ball (photo by John) Always start the new year with a prediction. If you're right, you get to say, "I told you so." If you're wrong ... well, everyone will probably forget it by the end of the year anyway. Unless you thought that this year Saddam Hussein would die before his trial started, Bill Frist would decide to run for President, or Jen and Brad would have babies, and you were foolish enough to say so online. Others more successfully speculated that 2005 would be full of citizen journalists, corporate blogs, and celebrity break-ups, but those prognostications may have been based on careful observation rather than luck or psychic powers. Soothsayers of 2006 are also playing it safe: so far we can look forward to a Britney divorce, nine hurricanes, and the death of blogs. Think you can do better? Gaze into your crystal ball and jot down some predictions for 2006. We promise we won't laugh too much next December. Suggested Sites... Alex Barnett Blog: Several Predictions for 2006 - a collection of predictions from around the Web. Long Bets - users make and bet on predictions, and the proceeds are donated to designated charities. Intrade Prediction Markets - trade on future predictions in entertainment, weather, and world events.

Directory categories: Prophecies and Predictions, Futures Studies, Divination, Market Forecasting

Archived under: Holidays, Predictions, Psychics

Post a comment (1) | Email this posting

Box office flop Elektra Every December, experts and journalists sweat over list after list of the best of the year. It could be a lot easier to highlight the worst instead. Harvard's president, Larry Summers, earned a Campus Outrage Award with his gender stereotyping speech earlier this year, while Sudan's Omar al-Bashir tops the 2005 list of World's Worst Dictators. Pennsylvania won the reputation for the highest number of vehicle-deer collisions, while Rhode Island leads the nation with the dumbest drivers. Brett Ratner and Tom Sizemore top the list of the 50 most frigid people in Hollywood. And to show us that the worst doesn't have to be too terrible, there's always the annual number of movie flops, mistakes, and hilarious videos that are just so bad they're good. Suggested Sites... Fimoculous: Lists 2005 - browse the year's collection of bests and worsts, from books, music, movies, and toys. Last Laugh 2005 - Comedy Central's recap of the year's most ridiculous and controversial events, covered by Lewis Black, William Shatner, Sarah Silverman, David Spade, and more. 15 Worst Music Releases of 2005 - find out which wretched tracks were selected as the most abominable songs this year. From Pitchfork Media.

Directory categories: Worst Of Lists, Humorous Lists, Worst of the Web

Archived under: Entertainment, Flops, Journalism, Movies, Music, News, Predictions

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

(photo by Kathie Alvarado) Black and brown bears possess a winter survival strategy that many of us would like to emulate: hibernation. After an intensive summer and early fall eat-a-thon of carbohydrate-rich foods, a bear selects a winter den. A rocky crevice, a tree hollow, or a den dug into a north-facing slope all make suitable places to slumber. Unlike small mammals such as bats or ground squirrels, bears are not considered "true" hibernators: a thick coat and a massive body enable bears to sleep deeply without the dramatic drop in body temperature and metabolic rates that comes with torpor. In this state of dormancy, bears can still react to intruders and other threats. When the weather warms in March, these giant teddy bears will stir from their deep sleep and rise to find the new foods of spring. Not a bad way to escape the harshness of winter. Suggested Sites... Hibernation: Deeeeeeep Sleeeeeeep ... - find out what we know about the fascinating state of hibernation, and how we are using this knowledge to help humans. North American Bear Center - slide shows, sound clips, and facts revealing the natural history of the black bear. Shadow of The Bear - peruse images capturing Ursus arctos middendorffi, the Kodiak brown bear, throughout the year. Enchanted Learning: Hibernating Animal Printouts - print coloring pages for children and introduce them to the variety of creatures that are dormant throughout winter.

Directory categories: Black Bears, Kodiak Brown Bears, Grizzly Bears, Alaskan Wildlife

Archived under: Animals, Bears, Biology, Hibernation, Science, Winter

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

(photo by Diane Person) There it is on the calendar, December 26 -- Boxing Day. You might be wondering if you should get out the training gloves and work off those post-holiday pounds, or fight your way past frantic shoppers in the rush to return Aunt Dottie's reindeer tea cozy. Relax. Boxing Day customs probably started back in medieval England and really picked up steam during the Victorian era. Clergy opened up the alms boxes to give money to the poor, while others offered food and clothing to servants and tradespeople in recognition of services rendered. Coincidentally, the Feast of St. Stephen (honoring the first Christian martyr) falls on the same day and shares the theme of giving to those less fortunate. Though primarily a British holiday, you can enter into the spirit wherever you live by volunteering your time or donating to a worthy cause. Save the sales racks for another day. Surely Aunt Dottie's tea cozy can wait! Suggested Sites... Happy Boxing Day - old and new traditions. How to Celebrate Boxing Day - things to do and places to go. Snopes: Boxing Day - myths and urban legends associated with Boxing Day.

Directory categories: Boxing Day, Middle Ages, Community Service Organizations

Archived under: Gifts, History, Holidays, Regional, Shopping

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting